OG Anunoby is set to become the highest-paid British basketball player ever after agreeing to a reported five-year, $212.5 million (£168 million) deal to return to the New York Knicks.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the deal will include a player option and a trade kicker, which will pay him even more money if New York ever decides to move him.
Neither Anunoby’s agent nor Knicks spokespeople immediately responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Anunoby’s return to New York was put into question on Tuesday when Wojnarowski reported the Knicks’ agreement to acquire swingman Mikal Bridges from the rival Brooklyn Nets for five future first-round picks and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Now, though, Anunoby looks to be returning to a Knicks team that now includes Bridges and holdovers Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart – all of whom played together at Villanova.
OG Anunoby is set to become the highest-paid British basketball player ever
Anunoby drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Round 2
ESPN is reporting that the Knicks still hope to re-sign center Isaiah Hartenstein.
Born in London in 1997, the 6-foot-7 Anunoby grew up in central Missouri before attending Indiana University and becoming a first-round pick of the Toronto Raptors in 2017. Despite his impressive play, injuries kept him sidelined for most of the Raptors’ title run in 2019, and he was traded to New York on December 30 for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick.
The team got off to a 12-2 start with Anunoby in the fold, but once again injuries derailed his own postseason ambitions. Ultimately he would appear in just 9 of 13 postseason games as the Knicks suffered a second-round defeat to the Indiana Pacers.
Generally considered one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, Anunoby averaged 14.7 points and 4.2 rebounds over 50 games with New York and Toronto last season.
The Knicks were 27-6 in games in which he played.
The deal would be the richest for any British-born basketball player, topping Luol Deng, who had $166 million (£131 million) in career earnings. Anunoby currently has over $50 million (£40 million) in career earnings over seven NBA seasons.
Not only is Anunoby a native Londoner, but he’s also part owner of the city’s Lions, a club in the British Basketball League.
‘It’s great to see everything that is going on in British basketball right now which is why I am really excited to join the London Lions,’ Anunoby said after joining the ownership group in April of 2023.
‘I just want to do my part as a role model to all the young hoopers in London and across the entire UK. I look forward to visiting the team in the off-season and can’t wait to help build with the organization.’
